Device for stretching round twisted products in rope making machines

ABSTRACT

The device is used in a rope machine and comprises two drive pulleys of different diameters of which the smaller-diameter pulley serves for drawing out the twisted product immediately after its having been spun, while the larger-diameter pulley is for stretching the product. Spaced somewhat apart from the pulleys is a contrivance for passing the twisted product from one pulley to the other. The pulleys are interconnected through a friction clutch which is kinematically associated with a selfcontained drive controlled by the stretching force transducer adapted to interact with the member of the contrivance which is under maximum load imposed by the tightening force of the twisted product, the transducer producing a signal proportional to the force so as to enable the torque transmitted by the friction clutch from one pulley to the other, to be changed in the course of stretching process. Such an embodiment of the device enables automatic control of the stretching force applied to the twisted product under process.

llnited States Patent Nesterov et a1.

[111 3,859,778 Jan. 14, 1975 MACHINES [76] Inventors: Pavel Petrovich Nesterov, ulitsa Sumskaya, 128, kv. 28; Georgy Ivanovich Vlaschenko, Stadionny proezd, 6/1, kv. 49, both of Kharkov, USSR.

[22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 432,652

[52] US. Cl 57/6, 28/71.3, 57/9, 57/55.5 [51] Int. Cl. D07b 3/04, D07b 3/06 [58] Field of Search 57/3, 6, 9, 55.5, 157 S; 28/713; 425/66 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,955,540 4/1934 Ellis et al. 57/55.5 2,037,506 4/1936 Ensinger et a1. 57/6 2,524,439 10/1950 Green 57/55.5 2,940,883 6/1960 3,061,997 11/1962 Haugwitz 57/55.5 X 3,409,958 11/1968 Bucher et al. 28/713 3,416,205 12/1968 Muller 28/713 3,417,447 12/1968 Trifunovic et al. 28/713 3,509,595 5/1970 Mader, Jr. e:t al. 425/66 Primary ExaminerJohn Petrakes Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [5 7] ABSTRACT The device is used in a rope machine and comprises two drive pulleys of different diameters of which the smaller-diameter pulley serves for drawing out the twisted product immediately after its having been spun, while the larger-diameter pulley is for stretching the product. Spaced somewhat apart from the pulleys is a contrivance for passing the twisted product from one pulley to the other. The pulleys are interconnected through a friction clutch which is kinematically associated with a self-contained drive controlled by the stretching force transducer adapted to interact with the member of the contrivance which is under maximum load imposed by the tightening force of the twisted product, the transducer producing a signal proportional to the force so as to enable the torque transmitted by the friction clutch from one pulley to the other, to be changed in the course of stretching process. Such an embodiment of the device enables automatic control of the stretching force applied to the twisted product under process.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEH JAN 14l975 SHEET 2 OF 2 fur DEVICE FOR STRETCIIING ROUND TWISTED PRODUCTS IN ROPE MAKING MACHINES BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to rope machines and more specifically it relates to devices for stretching round twisted products, viz. ropes or rope strands.

Widely known in the art are rope stretching devices installed along the process flowsheet in between the device for rope spinning from separate strands and the take-up drum.

These devices have two coaxial rigidly interconnected pulleys kinematically associated with the rope machine drive. The pulleys are of different diameters, the smaller-diameter one serving to receive the rope after its having been spun and the larger-diameter pulley, to stretch the rope by virtue of the difference in the pulley diameters.

Spaced somewhat apart from the pulleys is a guide roller for the rope to pass from the smaller-diameter pulley to the larger-diameter one.

However, these devices suffer from the disadvantage that the rope tightening force cannot be controlled in the course of rope stretching. This hampers a regular and adequate relieving of the torsional stresses and permanent elongation throughout the rope length.

Further, a rigid interconnection of the pulley involves a strictly preset difference in the diameters thereof which depends upon the characteristics of the ropes under stretching in the afore-discussed devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide such a device for stretching round twisted products that features the pulleys interconnected so as to ensure control of the tightening force of the twisted product during its stretching.

With this and other objects in view proposed herein is a device for stretching round twisted products, provided in a rope machine and comprising two coaxial interconnected drive pulleys of different diameters of which the smaller-diameter pulley serves to draw out the twisted product just after its having been spun, while the larger-diameter pulley is for stretching said twisted product, and a contrivance for passing the latter from the smaller-diameter pulley to the largerdiameter one, the contrivance being spaced somewhat apart from the pulleys. According to the invention, the pulleys are interconnected through a friction clutch which is kinematically associated with a self-contained drive controlled against a signal from a stretching force transducer adapted to interact with a member of the contrivance which is under maximum load imposed by the tightening force of the twisted product, and to produce a signal proportional to the force, whereby a pos sibility is provided to change the torque transmitted from the smaller-diameter pulley via the friction clutch to the larger-diameter pulley.

The device for stretching round twisted products according to the present invention enables an automatic control of the tightening force of the product during the stretching process thereof.

Additionally, the device is suitable for stretching a variety of rope types and sizes having diverse mechanical characteristics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the device for stretching round twisted products will hereinafter be come more apparent from a disclosure of a specific embodiment of the present invention when read with due reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general side-elevation view of a rope machine featuring a device for stretching round twisted products, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a stretching force transducer signal amplifier;

FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of a motor control; and FIG. 5 is a schematic power circuit diagram of motor connection to supply mains.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The rope machine has a rotor 1 (FIGS. 1,2) of the basket type having reels 2 which carry rope strands 3, the reels being arranged circumferentially thereon. The rotor l is set on a shaft 4 which is connected to a drive 5 and is made hollow for a core 6 of a rope 7 to pass through. The rotor 1 rests upon supporting rolls 8, whereby the shaft 4 is relieved from bending stresses. The shaft 4 is mounted on stanchions 9 and 10. The strands 3 from the reels 2 and the core 6 are fed into rope spinning dies 11, wherein the rope is formed. Past the dies 11 along the process flowsheet a device 12 for stretching the rope 7 is provided.

The contrivance comprises a smaller-diameter pulley 13 serving to draw out the rope 7 from the dies 1]; arranged coaxially with the pulley 113 is a larger-diameter pulley 14 adapted to develop a tightening force applied to the rope 7 in the course of its stretching. The pulleys 13 and 14 are interconnected through a friction clutch 15 of any design suitable for the purpose.

The pulley 13 is connected to the rope machine drive 5 through a reduction unit 16, a :shaft 17, a gearing 18 and a shaft 4.

In order to pass the rope 7 from the pulley 13 to the pulley 14 a contrivance is provided made as a train 19 of rollers, spaced somewhat apart from the pulleys l3 and 14.

The friction clutch 15 is connected through a reduction unit 20 to a motor 21.

A stretching force tranducer 23 is adapted to interact with a roller 22 of the train 19 of rollers, to which a maximum effective force developed by the rope 7 is applied, the transducer being electrically connected to the motor 21 to control the operation thereof. Used as the stretching force transducer may be a magnetoelastic transducer of any construction suitable for the purpose.

An electric connection of the magnetoelastic transducer 23 to the motor 21 is carried out through a power transformer 24 (FIG. 3) which is connected to an A.C. main by way of a switch 25 and a. fuse 26. Electric current is stabilized by means of capacitors 27 and a resistor 28 and then fed to atransformer primary 29, while its secondaries 30 supply current, via diodes 31, to a magnetic amplifier 32 which comprises resistors 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, relays 40, 41, 42, induction coils 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and diodes 48.

Voltage is fed to the magnetic amplifier past diode rectifiers 49.

The transducer 23 is connected to the secondary 30 of the power transformer 24 and to the magnetic amplifier through a plug connector 50.

The magnetic amplifier 32 is tuned by means of resistors 51, 52 and controlled from a wafer switch 53.

The magnetoelastic transducer 23 has a magnetizing coil 54 and a coil 55 producing a signal which is delivered to the magnetic amplifier 32.

For visual observation and monitoring of a variation in the rope tightening force, an indicator 56 is cut into the circuit, having any construction suitable for the purpose.

For the purpose of controlling the operation of the motor 21 kinematically associated with the friction clutch 15 through the reduction unit 20, use is made in the circuit of contactors 57 (FIG. 4), 58, 59 connected to respective relays 40, 41, 42, as well as of contactors 60, 61, magnetic starters 62 and contactors 63 (FIG. 5).

The motor 21 can be controlled either automatically by closing contacts 64 or manually by closing contacts 65.

The control circuit of the motor 21 is currentsupplied through a fuse 66.

The device for stretching round twisted products operates as follows.

The reels 2 carrying the rope strands 3 wound thereon, are set into the rotor 1 of the rope machine, whereupon the strands 3 are passed through the dies 11 to which the rope core is also fed through the hollow shaft and the holes provided in the stanchions 9 and 10. Next the drive 5 is put into operation, and the rope 7 starts to be formed; after producing a definite length of rope, the'drive 5 is disengaged and the rope 7 is guided to the contrivance 12 by winding a few turns of the rope 7 around the pulley 13, whereupon the latter envelops the train 19 of rollers and is carried to the pulley 14 and wound thereon in a few turns; finally the rope 7 is led to the take-up reel which is not shown in the drawing. I

An automatic rope stretching control process occurs with the contacts 64 closed, the procedure being as follows.

The rope 7 under stretching exerts pressure upon the transducer 23 while acting through the roller 22; depending upon the force applied thereto, the transducer produces an electric signal which is sent to the magnetic amplifier 32. Then the voltage-amplified signal is impressed upon the relays 40, 41, 42 which effects an automatic control of the motor 21 by causing the latter to rotate in a corresponding direction depending upon the variation in the stretching force.

The relay 41 is preset for a normal estimated stretching force, the relay 42, for a maximum permissible stretching force and the relay 40, for a minimum permissible force effective in estimated stretching procedure.

The motor is kinematically associated with the friction clutch through the reduction unit 20, the clutch transmitting the predetermined torque from the pulley 13 to the pulley 14. The frictional coupling of the clutch 15 with the pulleys is either strengthened or loosened until thestretching force reaches the preset magnitude, i.e. till the system is brought to the state of equilibrium.

Thus, whenever the stretching force is found to have fallen within the specified limits, the signal produced by the transducer 23 arrives at the magnetic amplifier 32 and from thence to the relays 40, 41, 42. In this case, it is the relay 41 that starts operating to control the operation of the contactors 58 interconnected with the contactors 63. The motor 21 is in this case deenergized.

If the stretching force is found to have reached the maximum permissible magnitude, the intensity of the signal produced by the transducer 23 becomes higher accordingly. In this case, the relay 42 starts operating to control the operation of the contactors 59 interconnected with the contactors 63, and the motor 21 becomes energized so as to loosen the frictional coupling of the clutch 15 with the pulley 13. The process of loosening the coupling occurs until the specified stretching force is obtained, whereupon the intensity of the signal produced by the transducer 23 is lowered correspondingly and the relay 41 starts operating to open the power supply circuit of the motor 21, while acting through the contactors 58 and 63.

Conversely, if the stretching force is found to have dropped to the minimum permissible magnitude, the intensity of the signal produced by the transducer is decreased as well, the relay 40 starts operating to control the operation of the contactors 57 interconnected with the contactors 63, and the motor 21 becomes energized so as to strengthen the frictional coupling of the clutch 15 with the both pulleys until the normal stretching force is obtained, whereupon the intensity of the signal from the transducer 23 gets higher and the relay 41 starts operating to open the power supply circuit of the motor 21, while acting through the contactors 58 and 63.

Thus, an automatic control of the torque transmitted by the friction clutch from the pulley 13 to the pulley 14 occurs and, consequently, regulation of the tensioning force applied during rope stretching process.

What we claim is:

1. A device for stretching round twisted products, adapted to be used in rope machines and comprising: a first pulley adapted to draw out the twisted product just after its having been spun; means for imparting a torque to said first pulley; a second pulley adapted to stretch said twisted products and having a diameter somewhat larger than that of said first pulley; a friction clutch being disposed between said first and second pulleys and adapted to transmit the torque from said first pulley to said second pulley for stretching said twisted products; a self-contained drive kinematically associated with said friction clutch; and a device adapted to pass said twisted products from one of said first and second pulleys to the other, said device being spaced somewhat apart from said first and second pulleys; a stretching force transducer adapted to interact with a member of said device which is under maximum load imposed by the twisted product tightening force, and to produce a signal proportional to said force to control said self-contained drive, whereby the torque transmitted by Way of said friction clutch from said first pulley having the smaller diameter to said second pulley having the larger diameter, can be changed in the course of the stretching process. 

1. A device for stretching round twisted products, adapted to be used in rope machines and comprising: a first pulley adapted to draw out the twisted product just after its having been spun; means for imparting a torque to said first pulley; a second pulley adapted to stretch said twisted products and having a diameter somewhat larger than that of said first pulley; a friction clutch being disposed between said first and second pulleys and adapted to transmit the torque from said first pulley to said second pulley for stretching said twisted products; a self-contained drive kinematically associated with said friction clutch; and a device adapted to pass said twisted products from one of said first and second pulleys to the other, said device being spaced somewhat apart from said first and second pulleys; a stretching force transducer adapted to interact with a member of said device which is under maximum load imposed by the twisted product tightening force, and to produce a signal proportional to said force to control said self-contained drive, whereby the torque transmitted by way of said friction clutch from said first pulley having the smaller diameter to said second pulley having the larger diameter, can be changed in the course of the stretching process. 